CVE-2022-29279 in insyde
Summary
by MITRE • 11/16/2022
Use of a untrusted pointer allows tampering with SMRAM and OS memory in SdHostDriver and SdMmcDevice Use of a untrusted pointer allows tampering with SMRAM and OS memory in SdHostDriver and SdMmcDevice. This issue was discovered by Insyde during security review. It was fixed in: Kernel 5.0: version 05.09.17 Kernel 5.1: version 05.17.17 Kernel 5.2: version 05.27.17 Kernel 5.3: version 05.36.17 Kernel 5.4: version 05.44.17 Kernel 5.5: version 05.52.17 https://www.insyde.com/security-pledge/SA-2022062
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/23/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-29279 represents a critical security flaw in the SdHostDriver and SdMmcDevice components of certain embedded systems and firmware implementations. This issue manifests through the improper handling of untrusted pointers during memory operations, creating opportunities for malicious actors to manipulate system memory regions that should remain protected. The vulnerability was discovered during a security review conducted by Insyde, a prominent firmware security company, highlighting the importance of thorough security assessments in low-level system components. The flaw specifically affects systems utilizing the Intel Management Engine and other embedded subsystems where secure memory regions like SMRAM (System Management RAM) are accessible through improper pointer validation mechanisms.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the failure to properly validate pointer inputs within the storage host driver and mmc device drivers. When these drivers process untrusted data from external storage devices or system interfaces, they fail to validate the integrity of pointer references before dereferencing them. This allows attackers to craft malicious input that can cause the system to access arbitrary memory locations, potentially enabling privilege escalation and unauthorized modification of critical system memory regions. The vulnerability directly relates to CWE-476 which describes NULL pointer dereference issues, but in this case the problem extends beyond simple null dereferences to encompass memory corruption through untrusted pointer manipulation. The attack surface is particularly concerning as it affects the interaction between hardware storage controllers and the operating system kernel, creating potential pathways for attackers to compromise both the kernel and system management features.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted, as it provides potential attackers with the capability to manipulate SMRAM memory regions that are typically protected from normal operating system access. SMRAM serves as a secure memory area where system management agents and critical firmware components operate, making unauthorized access to these regions particularly dangerous. The vulnerability enables potential attackers to execute code in privileged system contexts, potentially leading to complete system compromise and persistent backdoor access. This aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068 which covers local privilege escalation through kernel exploits, and T1547.001 which addresses kernel module loading and manipulation. The vulnerability affects multiple kernel versions including 5.0 through 5.5, indicating it was present across a significant range of system implementations and could potentially affect numerous embedded systems, IoT devices, and enterprise hardware platforms that rely on these storage drivers.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2022-29279 require immediate implementation of firmware updates from affected vendors, with particular attention to the specific kernel version patches provided by Insyde. System administrators should ensure all affected systems receive the appropriate kernel updates, with version numbers ranging from 05.09.17 through 05.52.17 depending on the kernel version in use. Beyond patch management, organizations should implement monitoring for unusual memory access patterns and pointer behavior in storage driver components. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of secure pointer validation in kernel-level code and highlights the need for comprehensive security reviews of embedded system drivers. Additionally, system administrators should consider implementing runtime protections such as kernel address space layout randomization and stack canaries to add additional layers of defense. The fix addresses the root cause by ensuring proper validation of all untrusted pointer inputs before memory access operations, preventing the manipulation of system memory regions that should remain protected from unauthorized access.